Laura L. Grow, Michael E. Kelley, Henry S. Roane, & M. Alice Shillingsburg. (2008).
Utility of extinction-induced response variability for the selection of mands.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
41, 15-24.
Functional communication training (FCT; Carr & Durand, 1985) is a
commonly used differential reinforcement procedure for replacing
problem behavior with socially acceptable alternative responses. Most
studies in the FCT literature consist of demonstrations of the maintenance
of responding when various treatment components (e.g., extinction,
punishment) are present and absent (e.g., Fisher et al., 1993; Wacker
et al., 1990). Relatively little research on FCT has (a) evaluated the
conditions under which alternative responses are acquired or (b)
described procedures with technological precision. Thus, additional
research on a cogent technology for response acquisition appears to be
warranted. In the current study, we evaluated the efficacy of exposing
problem behavior to extinction for inducing response variability as a
tool for selecting an alternative response during FCT. Once participants
engaged in appropriate alternative responses, the reinforcer identified in
the functional analysis as maintaining problem behavior was delivered
contingent on the alternative behavior. Results showed that exposing
problem behavior to extinction was a useful method for producing alternative
behaviors during FCT.
DESCRIPTORS: extinction, functional analysis, functional communication
training, manding